Kicking, run game, Davis among Monday topics ![]() By MIKE SMITH "Hero or Zero" That has long been Dom Dzioban's take on a kickers fate. Results dictate which crown a kicker wears on a given day. You work toward the former, but have to roll with the latter Miami football head coach Chuck Martin noted Dzioban told him about his "Hero or Zero" outlook back when Martin was scouting the Frankfort, Illinois kicker. Dzioban was outstanding in high school, hitting 18 of 20 field goals ands 50 of 51 PATs for a Lincoln Way East High School team that went 14-0 and won the state championship in his senior year. It was "crazy good" for high school, but Martin was particularly impressed with the kicker's mindset. It projected as a huge asset for somebody kicking under pressure. Dzioban faced that pressure situation -- twice -- Saturday, and he came through both times. The first was a Miami career-high 47-yard field goal as time expired. That tied Miami . . . ![]() . . . and UMass at 20-20. Less than 15 minutes later, after the UMass kicker missed his 44-yard attempt, Dzioban knocked through his game-winner from 43 yards out. The celebration started as the ball hit the net. For this day, Dzioban was a hero. >>> Dzioban, a redshirt junior, has had an interesting career at Miami. Graham Nicholson, who won the Louis Groza Award as college football's top kicker in 2023, was handling Miami kicking duties from 2021-2023. Anxious to get on the field, Dzioban turned to punting and averaged 42.7 yards per boot in the abbreviated Covid 2020 campaign. He slipped to 39.4 yards per punt in 2021, but earned second team all-MAC honors with a 42.4-yard average in 2022. Dzioban missed the entire 2023 season with a leg injury. Back to place-kicking this year, he has hit 7 of 9 field goal attempts (3 of 3 PATs) thus far. ![]() RUSHING PROGRESS The run game sputtered early this season, with MU totaling totaling 74 yards over its first three games. Miami netted 168 yards on 36 carries against UMass. Keyon Mozee led the way with nine runs totaling 114 yards (12.7 ypc) with one TD. That touchdown put Miami in front at 6:27 of the first period. THIRD DOWN Miami's third down conversion rate was another area where MU helped to improve Saturday -- and beyond. It was thought that improving the run game would boost the conversion percentage. However, after going 2 of 12 against Notre Dame a week earlier, the RedHawks were 1 of 6 on third down against UMass. Of course, in the big picture, Miami's 168 rushing yards was still important. Mozee's 27-yard run produced a first quarter TD and his 66-yard burst set up a third quarter score. REDZONE The RedHawks have converted 7 of 11 redzone attempts (2 TDs) over four games. They went 2 of 3 Saturday. The one that got away was particularly painful. Shortly before halftime, MU drove to the UMass 14. However, the possession crashed on two successive plays. First, Miami was penalized for intentional grounding. Quarterback Brett Gabbert then followed that with an interception. It was the third consecutive game in which Gabbert has thrown a red zone interception. ![]() GABBERT TO DAVIS The Minutemen's final possession of regulation was heavy on run. With the score tied at 20-all, UMass took over at 6:04 and ran the ball on 9 of 10 plays before reaching Miami's 5-yard line. Martin acknowledged on Monday that by UMass' final drive, his depleted (injuries) defense was probably getting tired, and the Minutemen capitalized. Finally, facing fourth-and-one, UMass kicked the go-ahead field goal. Miami, which used its final two time outs late in the Minutemen drive, had just 40 seconds left to get into field goal range after starting at its own 25. Moving efficiently was critical, and Gabbert hit RB Kevin Davis three straight times at the sidelines to move a total of 24 yards. After a 5-yard scramble out of bounds by Gabbert, the quarterback found Davis two more times. Those 18 yards put MU at the UMass 22 with just four seconds left. With the clock already stopped, the visitors called a time out. Dzioban, however, delivered the game-tying kick when play resumed. "We were trying to push the ball downfield," Davis said of the key drive. "I was the check down guy. I was catching the ball, and I got into a rhythm." The 5-9, 170-pound senior credited his past experience catching balls either out of the backfield or from the slot. "I always enjoyed it. That's been my role since I've been playing football. I feel like being out in the open space . .. gives me the best (opportunity) for success . . . for the offense." Comments are closed.
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Editor-Publisher Mike SmithMike grew up in Mid-American Conference football and basketball territory and returned there after military service. He has been covering MAC football and men's basketball for much of the last several decades. Archives
February 2025
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